Lonely Days
by KaoriBeniko
Summary: Before an encounter with the Yliaster Team 5D's spends the night at the twin's apartment. When Yusei meets a vulnerable Aki during a restless night, will their relationship deepen or will they see how different they really are? Faithshipping. One-Shot. Reworked.


_Dear reader. I have read a lot of great fanfictions lately, but when I didn't find any more, I remembered my very own fanfic that I have uploaded, well. Two years ago! So I skimmed through it and found it would be a shame to delete it, so I decided to make some minor changes. I hope that I can write another Faithshipping-story someday, with more mature characters._

_The original comment: Hello there! Man, I could write a whole essay about this story. I also have the urge to do it; I want you to know the background to all this, how hard it was for me, since it's my first fanfiction, but I obviously wasn't able to keep it short ..._  
><em>It's crazy how this has turned out, because only half of it is what I had originally planned, so I hope the result still makes sense. So, thank you for giving me a chance.<em>

* * *

><p>He woke up in the middle of the night. It was not because of a nightmare or anything, it just happened. In fact, it happened a lot recently. He sat up and leaned his back against the headboard.<p>

Yusei sighed softly. He had gotten used to this already. Since it was never for bad dreams that he awoke, it did not really bother him anymore. He did not even miss a whole night of sleep; his brain worked perfectly fine without it, having been trained from countless sleepless nights operating on his D-Wheel. However, whenever he lay awake, he found that his constant worries crept into his thoughts, creating a bad conscience. And at the moment, just after a few members from a mysterious organization called Yliaster had appeared, it was especially troubling.

Sometimes Yusei had the feeling that his fight, or rather, the fight of the Team 5D's, would never come to an end. After all, it had only been half a year since they had defeated the Dark Signers together. Now that a new threat was to appear again, he suddenly felt worn out. He then realized that stress was the cause for his state.

In the end, he was worried. The new thread would put a new pressure on the whole team, leaving him wondering if they were able to make it again.

First, there was Jack. At this point, Yusei did not doubt his loyalty, or rather, he daresay, their _friendship_ anymore. It was true that things were not easy to sort out between them, and when the whole team had visited Martha, Jack had claimed that they were not friends. But now he trusted Jack, and he was sure that the trust was mutual. Still, this fight would put their bonds to another test.

It was not as difficult with Crow. Yusei was glad to have him around during hard times, because the tail signer was always eager to have something to fight for. Not that Yusei ever needed to be reminded of his motives.

He'd rather worry about the twins. It was always hard for the head signer to have them around. Not because he did not care for them; on the contrary – he cared too much for them. Every time he watched Ruka duel for the team, he somehow felt that it was _his_ fault, that he was the one to involve her and her brother Rua into something very horrifying. Although, they always gave their best and were irreplaceable. And glancing around the room, feeling the comfortable fabric of his blanket beneath him, Yusei also decided that having the whole team live in their huge apartment together had been a great idea, actually.

He would never be content with his friends being in danger. But evaluating his relations, he decided that in most cases, he had a vague idea of where he stood. And this gave him security.

Well. Izayoi Aki turned out to be difficult.

Yusei was sure that she had no idea how he felt about her. In fact, he was not even sure himself. The only thing he knew for certain was that he did not like the way his thoughts were drifting when she was around. Okay, so maybe he did like it. But at the same time he didn't. It was a complicated case.

Aki was just everything at once. Beautiful, obviously. Under any condition. If motivated or tired; after school or on weekends - whenever she entered a room, it lit up. Back at the Fortune Cup, when she had been so angry and bitter, she had still looked beautiful. Just like a rose. Maybe a bit too steady, but beautiful nevertheless. But after her change of heart, she became breathtaking. Her eyes would light up whenever she was happy, and her smile alone was worth defeating the Earthbound Gods a thousand times. And more importantly, she was always honest and kindhearted. Always eager to learn new things, trying her best to make up for her mistakes, for the time she had hurt other people, even though a lot of it wasn't solely her fault.

Having witnessed her darkest times, Yusei felt that every subtle gesture of hers was even more meaningful now.

Sometimes he talked himself into believing that he could be the cause for her contentment, but that thought was somehow incredibly selfish. In the end, she was the one to overcome; to get control of her powers. Aki often claimed that Yusei had been her savior, but he used to reply that she had saved herself thanks to her own will. And he meant it.

He felt uneasy when he realized that he had been falling in love with Izayoi Aki.

As ridiculous as it seemed, he just could not imagine that someone as precious as Aki would not be desired by others. And by desired, he did not only mean other men of his age who noticed her attractiveness. Unfortunately, her suffering had triggered the development of certain psychic powers, and who knows, whatever Yliaster were planning, if it did not necessarily include the irrevocable destruction of the whole Team 5D's - and by destruction he meant assassination - there was the possibility to use one of its members for their own purposes.

_Damn, Yusei, you don't know anything about them, stop thinking something like that_, the head signer closed his eyes for a moment and tried to get rid of his thoughts – all of them. _Maybe this is getting to me after all_, he mused. Feeling the need for fresh air to clear his thoughts, he decided to take a little walk on the roof terrace, something he used to do sometimes during the last few days.

On his way outside, Yusei was about to pass two other rooms. From what he remembered, the one next to him was occupied by a certain female claw signer. The other had remained empty. He found himself stopping in front of Aki's room and couldn't fight the terrifying thoughts he had just moments ago reappear.

Of course, she was fine at the moment. _Right?_

He wouldn't let anyone harm her, he told himself, the thought of someone abusing her powers was absurd. Firstly, they were currently on, what. The 100th floor? And secondly, as already mentioned, the reason that everyone lived temporarily in one apartment was to stay close to each other so that nothing would happen. Still, he felt an uneasy feeling spread through his body.

_I don't want to stalk her or anything … just check to be sure that she is alright_, he justified his action. Following this, without any more protest from himself, he silently opened the door.

The blue eyed duelist had no idea what he had expected to see; maybe something that resembled a sleeping figure under a blanket? Sounded about right. However, he was slightly startled when he saw Aki sitting on her bed, cross-legged. She must have somehow expected or noticed him very soon, for her surprised gaze was already directed at him. The bedside lamp was switched on, illuminating the room slightly.

"Yusei ... what are you doing here?", she asked in bewilderment.

"I, uh-", he began, "I'm sorry, I just thought I –" It was, admittedly, hard to find the right words to explain why a male person of his age would show up in the room of a beautiful young woman he was attracted to, in the middle of the night. Hence, he decided to leave his sentence incomplete and turned around again to leave, hoping she would let it go for now, and never bring up the issue again.

"Wait, …", Aki whispered. Still feeling embarrassed, Yusei stopped in his actions and slowly focused on the claw signer again. "Would you, maybe … keep me a little company, Yusei?"

_Huh?_, he wondered if she was joking. But then he saw that sad gleam in her eye and noticed her crouched position, which made her appear surprisingly unsure and scared. He suddenly had the urge to hug her and never let go. Instead, Yusei simply answered, "Of course"

He went to close the door and was about to grab a pillow and sit on the floor or something, when he saw Aki silently patting the place next to her on the bed, keeping her head down. To Yusei, it appeared inconvenient enough to linger in her room at night, and sitting down on her bed next to her did not make it any easier. But who was he to deny her request?

"What is it?", Yusei was actually concerned, however he managed to restore his calm tone and a more collected manner. Aki knew that tone.  
>Yusei's way of asking sounded not too personal; she knew that he was being subtle. He must have come for a reason, she figured. She liked to think that he had sensed her bad mood, but he would never force her to tell him anything. But if she did, he would gladly listen. Though, she could not help but smile, at least inwardly, when he had entered her room. She had been surprised, but also slightly amused. Yusei was very cute when he was at a loss of words – it was a rare sight.<p>

His familiar voice broke her train of thoughts. Its sound alone was comforting. "I was worried, to be honest", he whispered, concern now dominant in his voice, subconsciously confirming her inner hope. Even though she did not intend to make him worry, Aki felt flattered at this and felt her cheeks slightly warm up. "I couldn't sleep", Aki replied after a moment of silence, "there is a lot on my mind …", she cast down her eyes then. "Do you know those nights, when everything just comes down on you, all of a sudden?"

She did not receive a verbal answer, she merely felt his intense stare on her. It was enough, for she knew his focus was only on her, and he expected her to continue. "Sometimes I think back to the time with Divine", she confessed. His name made Yusei flinch inwardly for several reasons, but he knew to hide it, "It just comes back to me sometimes … in spite of the consequences, I felt save back then, understood". Yuseis eyes widened at this. He sometimes wondered if she missed Divine. He understood Aki's feelings towards him to an extend, but in the end, never really _got_ it. It was the same with Divine himself. You could never really identify his motives and thoughts. Neither could Yusei identify his true intentions about Aki, the nature of their original relationship.

„He provided me with a place to return to, we were alike in a sense, having similar powers and all that. But in the end I see that he let me down. Even when he returned for my duel against Misty, he manipulated me."Yusei observed how Aki's expression became even sadder and how she raised her knees onto the bed to place her chin on them, slightly hiding her face. "And his betrayal; it makes me think of my parents...", she continued, "Actually, I remember parts of my early childhood from time to time. Those happy days were a long time ago, but they are real nevertheless. I am on good terms with Papa and Mama now, but when I think of the way they treated me, how Papa slapped me – I …"

"I know", the former signer told her, and gently placed his hand on Aki's arm, which were hugging her legs by then "There are two ways for you to feel right now: lonely and betrayed", he mused, not realizing he said it aloud. Suddenly, Aki's eyes watered, her body began to shiver, and she abruptly shook off his hand.

The both of them felt a lot colder.

Yusei felt remorse raise within, as he tried to comfort her again. He probably risked her trust with his seeming directness, though he did not mean it that way; he had merely drawn a conclusion for himself to be sure that he had understood her.

"I'm sorry Aki, that probably sounded indifferent...", he tried to apologize.

"No, It's exactly how I'm feeling, no need to deny it. It wasn't what you said. It's just … you", she replied calmly.

"Me?", Yusei did not understand at all. "When it's not what I said what startled you, then what is it? What can I do?", he urged.

Suddenly, Aki closed her eyes shut, feeling tears threaten to appear. "It was my fault."

„Huh?", this was getting slightly confusing. But soon, out of the corner of her eye, Aki saw him getting a calm expression again. She knew that he knew that she would explain soon, but she needed a moment to collect her thoughts. And though she tried her best to prevent it, she started crying.

For a few unbearable minutes Yusei just sat there and watched, waiting for her to calm down. For the second time that night he felt the need to embrace her and to protect her against everything that could harm her; to make her loneliness disappear. But hearing her cryptic statement made him think that he was the one hurting her himself. That was why he did not dare do anything, for he was afraid to make things worse. If he was responsible for her condition, it was him he had to protect her from at the moment. When she didn't look at him after some time, he ultimately grew impatient. He could not bear the sight of her crying anymore, and he needed to know what was wrong. Letting his thoughts get the better of him, Yusei ultimately grabbed Aki by her shoulders and turned her around.

"Aki", he pleaded, "please tell me what's wrong!"

"It was my fault," she whispered, avoiding Yusei's gaze. Another incomprehensible statement.

"What is?", he urged.

"It's my fault that everyone left me", she said, louder. She looked her counter part directly in the eye then, which left him bewildered.

"Seeing how things have developed", she desperately cried, "it must have been my fault. Hadn't I punished my father, he wouldn't have become angry and rejected me … and thus, I scared Mama as well. As for Divine, he was after my powers for all those years. I see that now. Although it appeared that he loved me, I must have been useless without them. When I became weaker, there was nothing to love about me anymore... He had searched for me for those rumors about the Black Rose Witch - You remember that, right? What Mikage-san has told us?

When he reappeared during my duel against Misty I was glad, I was so happy to see him alive, but he provoked me again so that I used my powers against my will … I was so foolish! How could I not see his intentions, Yusei?"

Apparently, it was out then. Aki hung her head again, helplessly clinging to Yusei's shoulders in return to his action before, and took some deep breaths to calm down. Her tears wouldn't stop. Meanwhile, the blue-eyed duelist found himself at a loss of words. He just stared down at the broken girl in his arms in disbelief, his mouth had become dry. He tried his hardest to collect himself once again, but failed this time.

"How", he finally managed to breath, catching Aki's attention. In spite of his promise to behave, he slowly raised his right hand and lifted her head by her chin a bit, looking straight into her amber eyes. Then he very softly touched her cheek to wipe away some tears. "How was it possible for them to hurt you so badly and leave you as broken, when you did nothing wrong, when you never deserved any of it, Aki...?" His sweet voice and intense stare made Aki blush and turn her head away again in embarrassment, which made Yusei smile a bit. Though, he refocused on the task at hand.

"I am afraid you were right about Divine and that he used you. I have to admit, though, I may be a bit thankful that he took care of you, even if his influence wasn't good for you. Or rather, even if I still despise him for treating you the way he did in the end. Please don't blame yourself, or call yourself foolish. You needed someone to turn to, and he offered you his help. After all, you have to consider that he was depended on you, too. Your powers were not the only thing valuable, even to him. You were, still are, a very capable duelist, and even back at the Fortune Cup I felt that there was something special about you …" Yusei had to stop there for a minute. He was not sure, if by 'special' he had included too much personal feelings in his explanation or revealed too much. Also, his heart sank a bit when he thought back to his worries about Aki being used by the Yliaster. She was indeed _very_ valuable.  
>„As for your father, it is hard for me to say too much about him, since he was the one who asked me to come for you, and because I know he has a lot of regrets about how he treated you. Your parents really dealt with your powers the wrong way, Aki, but because they were just too weak, because they were scared, simple as that. I don't want to justify any of their actions. I want you to know that it was never your fault.", a short pause followed.<p>

"I am so sorry, I don't even know what I can do ...", Yusei admitted with a sigh. The more he was surprised when he saw Aki lift her head once again, wearing an expression that he couldn't really read. "Is that how I am involved in this, Aki? Do you think I am on the wrong side in this? That I was against you, because I wouldn't oppose your father? Is that why you said it was me?", Yusei warily asked.

"What? No, please, don't misunderstand!", Aki turned her whole body towards him, sitting down cross-legged again, and tightened her grip on his shoulders. "That's not it", she silently repeated. It was her turn to sigh now. "I'm so thankful to you, Yusei. I have felt worthless, insecure, lonely, betrayed, that I cause nothing but trouble. But the moment you entered this room, I instantly felt safe, and now that you are with me, the loneliness is gone, … not to mention, you always seem to know when I feel down, and you find the right words to make it right. It really means a lot to me, Yusei", the young woman said calmly.

"Aki..." was the only thing Yusei could helplessly reply, for he found himself at a loss of words yet again. "But", she added, "that is also the reason why I currently feel undeserving of you, Yusei." Her voice was so low, that he hardly heard it. _What?_

"You were always there. You were never too late; it is important that you came for me at all, that you cared. It was your words that helped me change after the Fortune Cup; your voice that freed me from Divine's control in my duel against Misty...", before she continued, Aki took Yusei's hand and delicately pressed it against her cheek again, closing her eyes. Yusei marveled at the way her soft skin felt against his own, and never made a move to pull back. "In the hospital, I woke up because of your touch, and it was not until you called my name during our second duel that I managed to get control over my powers for the first time. You always come to my rescue; you are always there, protecting me. Even now, in my current state, you manage to console me, Yusei. I guess you are just perfect, this is one of your talents. You are reserved and always clear-headed, but at the same time so kind and devoted to those with whom you share bonds. But this is what I am afraid of: You are exactly the kind of person I could never hope to be." By then, her depression was becoming evident on her face again.

"Aki", Yusei began carefully, lightly caressing her cheek with his thumb, „We share that bond as well. You and me." He really did not like the way this conversation was headed again. How could Aki, the most important person to him, think that she was not good enough for him? For anyone? Her words made his heart ache uncomfortably. _Why do I even have to assure her this?_

"How can you say something like that, Yusei. You have always told me that it's the Mark of the Dragon that has us bound together … what if it disappears? What will be left of it?", she replied bitterly through her teeth. At the same time, she regretted having said that. She was confused and emotional, and most of all – self-conscious. And both of them knew it. Yusei knew that arguing with her was the worst thing he could do at that point, but what Aki just said suggested just one thing:

That he was no better than Divine, and he would abandon her the instant their fight as Team 5D's was over.

Yusei was very disappointed and did not even attempt to hide it when he merely said, "You're being unfair, Aki." He let go of her face and shot her a dejected look. Ashamed, Aki let go of his shoulders and folded her hands in her lap and watched as she interlaced her own fingers. "I am sorry, Yusei. I didn't intend to hurt you; it just slipped out. I am scared that would our marks disappear when our task is complete and we have defeated the Yliaster, you would also leave. I trust you, I really do; more so than anyone else. I just can't forget what I have learned in the past."

"I know", the head signer reassured her again, "I understand that it had you worried, but it still hurt. Just know that you can count on me, Aki, and I will never leave you." How could I, he thought sarcastically.

"Divine said that as well", Aki muttered, being lost in thoughts.

"Come again?", Yusei asked, suspecting.

"I just … It's nothing, really -", Aki started to brush it off, scolding herself mentally.

Out of nowhere, his hands came to her wrists to pin her down to the bed, which made Aki gasp in surprise. In the blink of an eye, she was trapped beneath Yusei, lacking strength and will to escape his gentle but firm grasp. She felt guilty. She had not really meant any of her accusations. Just because she was unbalanced, emotional, and plain stupid, she had said those shallow things to the one who was most precious to her, Yusei of all people. The claw signer had always enjoyed his company, loved the feeling of having him near, and just today, she rejected him like that. And then, looking up to him, Aki found herself lost in his stare, her eyes widening.

There he was, lingering above her, his intent stare piercing through her very soul.

Disappointment was dominant in his eyes, as were hurt, confusion. There was sympathy, care, and some kind of expectation? Excitement? And just maybe, maybe … it could be a hint of longing that she saw. It made her heart the same time, she didn't understand. The combination had her lost. Maybe she was misinterpreting. She turned her head away then, avoiding his cobalt blue eyes that always saw right through her in an instant. "What are you doing", she asked in embarrassment.

"I don't know", Yusei whispered slightly distracted, "I think I want to make you listen to me." The woman looked at him from the corner of her eye. Yusei kept his focus on her, though he might have gripped her wrists a bit too hard, unintentionally. Trapping the most beautiful woman of Neo Domino is a lot to take in, after all. The way she looked at him; her soft amber eyes directed at him, embarrassed but tempting at the same time, a light red tinting her cheeks, her bangs partially hiding her face ... If he didn't know better and the situation wasn't as twisted, Yusei would assume that Aki was trying to seduce him. Of course he was well aware that she had not the slightest idea of what she did to him at the moment (or ever), just by looking at him. How ironic that he had wanted to startle her but was now the one intrigued. Realizing that he didn't want to risk hurting her, Yusei let go of Aki's wrists and kept himself up on his forearms instead. The movement brought them even closer.

When she assumed that Yusei wouldn't move further, Aki dared turn her head at him again, nearly touching her nose with his. "Yusei", was all she could say. "Aki", Yusei cautiously began. "Even if you're afraid that it will break one day ... you do believe in our bond, don't you?" he got a weak nod as a response. „I can't deny that it's true. That the Marks of the Dragon do have a certain importance for our relationship. When you and me first met, it was what kept you on my mind afterwards. I was desperate, because I didn't know how to gain your support if you didn't see our connection nor supported our intentions, Aki. I was afraid that since you hated the mark, you would never help us in the upcoming fight against the Dark Signers. So I kept an eye on you." For whatever reason, his words stung Aki. She was aware that Yusei had been worried because he could not fulfill his destiny because of her, but even so. Doesn't it make me a tool in just another man's plan?

Yusei saw in her eyes that she was lightly distressed so he quickly continued, "But please, Aki, hear me out. I didn't want to use you, or anything. I wanted to figure out the source of your hatred, that's what I understood eventually. Soon, it was not just about changing your opinion about the mark, it was never just that. It had become ... so much more." Aki's breath hitched.

"I wanted to figure out your pain and then I wanted to erase it. And now that you have accepted your place, your family, I just want you to be safe. I want to protect you, Aki. I want ...", his voice was reduced to a whisper. He felt a bit uncomfortable opening himself to her, but a small smile crept onto his face when he noticed that apparently Aki was stunned, her eyes full of wonder. I won't allow anyone to take advantage of you, Yusei promised silently. Unable to resist, he kissed Aki lightly on the forehead, which made her poor heart skip a beat. She could barely begin to register what Yusei's words suggested, but his daring action made any coherent thought impossible.

"Yusei, I … I don't even know what to say ... I am so sorry to have said something like that", Aki whispered. She ducked her head a bit and grazed his jaw with her nose tenderly. If only she could begin to express what he meant to her, what kind of feelings his words had triggered. She didn't want, didn't dare say one word, for she was afraid it would ruin the moment. So slowly, very carefully, she slung her arms around Yusei's neck and held tightly to him. His warmth made her sigh in contentment. Yusei, reacting to her every motion, closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against hers. Feeling her arms around him like that and being able to be as close to her made his head spin.

They found themselves practically plastered against each other by then. A burdened, loving young man being held by a vulnerable, endearing woman, the only one worthy of his affection, both finding comfort in the other's presence. The situation might have been awkward somehow, but at the moment, the intimacy was not awkward at all, it was welcome.

"It's like I can't trust my own feelings anymore", Aki whispered suddenly.

"What do you mean?", Yusei mumbled in response.

Aki squeezed her eyes together in annoyance. She was mortified, she shouldn't have said that aloud. Why wasn't she in control of what she was saying tonight? She turned her head slightly, leaning it against Yusei's neck, as if trying to hide from her own carelessness. She had yet to answer his question and was faced with the answer: Her self-consciousness and doubts about her feelings for Yusei were triggered by the fact that she had been hopelessly falling in love with him since the day she had met him. However, she couldn't just confess to him now, could she? Or should she just tell him. How was she supposed to do it, anyway? Knowing her luck, she would mess it up if she said it to him.

On the other hand, though she did not expect him to return her feelings, his tenderness assured her that he did not intend to kill her, if she confessed her love to him now. That was why she couldn't think of a better moment. Yusei's own kind of confession had affected her deeply and now she was even practically cuddling with him. _Cuddling_, Aki thought in amusement, and it dawned on her. She would just try to make the most of the situation. _I'm going to try it_, she decided, _otherwise I could just brush it off as an accident_.

Yusei was occupied with his own thoughts. _Why doesn't she say anything? I didn't intimidate her, did I? Have I revealed too much?_ He did notice that Aki had not loosened her grip on him, but he was close to do it himself, for the uncertainty was beginning to unnerve him. He was about to move, when Aki beat him to it. She kept one arm lightly around his neck while the other moved down to his shoulder. He didn't know what she was planning, but for some reason he held his breath instinctively.

And then, ever so softly, he felt her full, wet lips grazing his neck.

He assumed it to be accidental. Then he felt her again. And again. His first reaction was utter shock. His instinct told him to ravage her. His brain told him not to move. The feeling of her lips sent a shiver down his spine, leaving him petrified. He did not know what to do. Aki did not know what to make out of his reaction, or lack thereof, but she wasn't willing to let go. As long as he did not reject her, she wouldn't stop tasting his smooth skin. She was just too selfish. At some point she felt his pulse starting to rush and his shoulders stiffen as he strained his arms, but he still didn't move otherwise.

Thus, she became daring.

Her mind clouding over with excitement, Aki pulled her counterpart further down to her and pressed her lips a bit harder against his neck, suckling lightly, until she heard how the breath that Yusei had been holding escaped in one long rush, thrilling her even more. Though he couldn't get enough of her kissing his neck, Yusei wanted to feel her, too. He decided to ignore his stupid, rational brain and moved his arms to frame Aki's face and turned to face her. His skin kept tingling where she had kissed him.

God, he loved what he saw. There she was, his own personal goddess, lips parted, strands of hair shielding her face, her eyes dark but shining in excitement, mot likely mirroring his own feelings. He wanted her, he had adored her for too long. And now she downright pleaded with him to kiss her and never let her go. And he was not the type to waste chances. So Yusei did just that. He didn't waste another second to give in to temptation and pressed Aki's face to his.

None of them could even properly register what was happening. Yusei was pushing Aki back down, capturing her soft lips in a passionate kiss. She tasted even sweeter than he had imagined, it was intoxicating. He still suffered from a mild lack of oxygen from before and his breath threatened to leave him yet again when he realized what he was doing. Aki was clinging to him, responsive to every move, every touch. She was enjoying the fact that Yusei had apparently loosed his composure and was now able to prove to her that words were not needed between them. It was quite unusual, for Aki knew that Yusei was a rather reserved person who was well in control of his emotions and his actions.

That's why she was rather startled when she felt his calloused hand creeping up her thigh.

Bewildered, Aki broke their lip contact, realizing her need for air, and looked up at Yusei, proud to be able to do so considering her straightforwardness before. His clear blue eyes looked back at her, burning with excitement. Her heart was probably beating a hundred miles an hour and she had a hard time catching her breath. In the back of her head she noticed that her partner had remained in his position and his right hand still held her leg by the knee, slightly bending it against his body. His touch felt strange, but not uncomfortable. Not at all. His intense look made her feel desired, wanted.

Slightly sobered from the intoxication that was Aki, Yusei couldn't help but feel a little guilty. Though Aki had initiated the skin contact first, or rather, assaulted him first with her irresistible little mouth, their current position seemed a little bit inappropriate to him. He appreciated Aki's incredibly smooth and valuable skin beneath his rough fingertips, so much so that he was afraid he would damage it with his roughness. It was exactly why he would not go further at that point; he loved her, body and soul, and he could just hope that she had understood that. He decided that his self-restraint was about exhausted enough for a day. Thus, ensuring the breathless woman beneath that he would not try anything funny, he gently moved his hand further up her thigh, along her upper body, then her arm and ultimately took her hand in his own. Aki squeezed it in response and smiled at him lovingly.

Yusei took a deep breath to calm himself down, inhaling Aki's sweet scent in the process. Soon after she had kissed him in the beginning, he had known that it was not just triggered by lust (even though he hoped it had been a factor), but it was meant as an answer to her mumbling before.

_It's like I can't trust my feelings anymore_, he mentally repeated.

He made an attempt to collect his thoughts once again, because he wanted to reward her for that statement and to show that he had understood by then. The head signer guided their united hands to his chest and pressed Aki's palm against it. Aki could feel his heart pounding there, its beats rushed and uneven. She looked into his eyes again in wonder, and this time she was sure that it was longing that she saw, and that Yusei was willing her to understand what he was doing.

Aki's face heated up when it dawned on her that Yusei had understood her words from before. He was figuratively exposing his heart to her, letting her know that he was feeling the same way. The gesture was so sweet, so pure. She felt her heart skip a beat.

Her other hand found its way to Yusei's cheek and she gave him a tender kiss on the lips. There was no other way to express that she had just fallen in love with him even more. She had the need to say something after all, but neither of them dared disturb the comfortable silence. That is, until Yusei's lips found their way to his lover's ear.

He whispered the one thing Aki had been waiting to hear for forever.

_"I love you, too."_


End file.
